Stopover recommendations in France when driving back from Switzerland

[bjonesreborn]

We are driving to Switzerland in July. Have booked Dijon on the way there and looking for somewhere to stop on the way back.
we went 4 years ago and did Troyes and Reims so looking for somewhere different.
Would prefer to get the bulk of the drive over with so I guess closer-ish to Calais would be great.

We’ve done Arras before but just slept there didn’t really spend much time. Hotel was good though (holiday inn express). You might feel it’s a bit too close to Calais though.

Is Colmar enough route?

Arras is a lovely town

En

Amiens?

We did this and stopped in Versailles for a few nights. We didn’t actually go in the palace but went to the gardens and hired rowing boats/bikes and went on the land train. Also took train into Paris for a day.

Compiegnes is nice. Nearby you can also visit the wagon where they signed the Armistice, if that's your thing. Or visit Chantilly which has a great castle.

Strasbourg and Colmar are both great, but if you’re wanting nearer to Calais then I suspect those are out. Metz is nice but maybe a little too out of the way!

We stayed near Epernay in the Champagne region one year - it was very nice (though the hotel we chose wasn't!) and we enjoyed wandering around staring at posh champagne houses.

I have stopped off at several places when driving between Switzerland (Lausanne) and London. I once took a small detour and stayed overnight in Ypres, Belgium, which is a very interesting place and quite a contrast with neighbouring France. The playing of the Last Post at the Menin Gate in Ypres every evening is very moving. It’s only about an hour from Ypres to Calais. One possibility is to drive through Basel, Luxembourg and Belgium if coming from the east of Switzerland - petrol is much cheaper in Luxembourg.

We've stopped at Arras and Compiegne many times. Arras is nearer to Calais, only about an hour and a quarter away.

Both really interesting places but liked Arras best as it has the lovely grand place and another smaller square in the centre that are perfect to just hang out in. WW1 battle site and memorial Vimy Ridge is nearby and well worth a visit.

Compiegne has a nice centre too and also has the Clairiere de l'Armistice in the nearby forest, the location of the signing of the 1918 Armistice.

Langres?

Depends on the route you want but Metz, Nancy, Strasbourg all very nice for a night.

Thank you so much everyone for your tips. We have decided on Amiens